Cezary Szymanek critiques the recurring promises made by political parties in Poland to eradicate nepotism within state-owned companies, a vow that has been reiterated since 1989 but has consistently gone unfulfilled. He highlights the disparity between the commitment to install transparency and merit-based leadership and the reality of political patronage that persists in these firms. The political pledge to replace boards and managements with competent individuals has been met with skepticism, as previous administrations have failed to follow through on such assurances.

The author notes that the management of state-owned enterprises is often viewed as a means for political gain, with the ruling party treating these positions as rewards for loyalty rather than as responsibilities to the public. There seems to be a continuing cycle of patronage where new leaders rotate in only to replicate the previous practices, undermining the integrity of public institutions and financing them with taxpayer money. The article calls for a critical examination of this issue beyond political party lines, stressing that the systemic problem of nepotism transcends individual administrations.

Ultimately, Szymanek argues that genuine change is required to disentangle state-owned companies from political influence, urging for real reforms that prioritize qualifications over connections. The Code of Good Practices MAP is mentioned as a potential framework to guide this transformation, but skepticism remains prevalent regarding its actual implementation and effectiveness in breaking the cycle of political nepotism that has long plagued Polish governance.